Why is air conditioning so important in passenger aircraft? As it turns out, it is not only used to keep passengers refreshed.
Flight attendant Marika Mikusova has described in her book "The Diary of a Flight Attendant" why air conditioning systems are so important in airplanes – and why they always run.
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Air conditioning on the plane: this is its purpose
The flight attendant told The Mirror: "Whether you're flying to Mauritius or Norway, always dress the same on board – warm and comfortable. While we flight attendants enjoy seeing well-trained biceps and calves, this will take its toll during the flight. Each aircraft is air-conditioned. It has to be, otherwise you could faint if you suddenly get up after a few hours of sitting."
The air conditioning in the aircraft is not only for the refreshment of passengers. © IMAGO / agefotostock
Passenger planes sometimes have several hundred people, depending on the model. For example, a Boeing 747 can hold exactly 364 passengers. But even 75 to 100 people, such as those who fly on average on domestic flights, are already a lot of body heat, breath and body exhalations. With such a large number of people in a confined space, as well as the heat generated by engines, air conditioning in the aircraft is crucial. In this way, overheating of the people present on board is prevented.
Air conditioning prevents not only overheating, but also fainting spells
ASTM International, an international standards organization based in the United States, conducted a study on this topic: namely, to find out what the relationship is between fainting spells in airplanes and cabin pressure and temperature. The result: people faint more easily when flying due to hypoxia. This occurs when body tissues do not receive enough oxygen. High cabin pressure and warm temperatures can intensify this reaction. As a result, hypoxia occurs more frequently in air passengers.
So why does the air conditioning in an airplane turn off just before takeoff?
However, on some flights, you will notice that the air conditioning sometimes turns off while the aircraft is preparing for takeoff. But why is that? Well, it is standard to turn off all devices that consume electricity unnecessarily during startup. The air conditioning system draws electricity from the engines in most aircraft. The shutdown is intended to ensure that all the power is available for the engines. As soon as the aircraft has reached its full altitude, the air conditioning system is also running at full speed again. Another reason may also be that the air conditioning system is supplied by the floor air and is therefore switched off shortly before the doors close.
